Lamont Roach Jr. and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz just gave boxing one of its most dramatic – and most debated – fights of the year, and neither man walked away happy.
On Saturday night at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Cruz and Roach went 12 brutal rounds for Cruz’s WBC interim junior welterweight title, only for the bout to be ruled a majority draw – a result that immediately sparked outrage from both fighters and a wave of debate across the boxing world.
A Wild 12 Rounds, a Knockdown, and Then… a Draw
The scorecards told the story of controversy all by themselves:
115-111 for Cruz on one card, 113-113 on the other two, resulting in a majority draw.
Early on, Cruz did exactly what fans expect from “Pitbull” –
charging forward, throwing looping power shots, and forcing exchanges from the opening bell. In
Round 3, he landed a sharp left hand that sent Roach off balance, causing Roach’s glove to touch the canvas for the
first knockdown of Roach’s career. It was ruled correctly, but it changed the tone of the fight.
From there, Roach adjusted. Instead of circling and boxing from range, he
stayed in the pocket, trading with Cruz and picking his spots with crisp counters, especially with his left hand. By the middle rounds, Roach’s confidence and accuracy were clear, and he began to
edge ahead on clean, effective punching.
Then came a crucial moment: in
Round 7, referee James Green
deducted a point from Cruz – described in some reports as for low blows, in others as for excessive clinching. Either way, it was a swing round that effectively neutralized Cruz’s earlier knockdown and brought the fight back to even on many unofficial cards.
The championship rounds saw Cruz surge again, pressing forward and turning up the aggression as both men traded heavy shots in a raucous Round 11 and an all-action Round 12 that had the San Antonio crowd on its feet.
The Numbers Say Roach, the Judges Say Draw
When the final bell rang, it
felt close – but the stats leaned in one direction.
According to CompuBox figures cited by multiple outlets,
Roach outlanded Cruz in total punches, including:
- Around
191 punches landed for Roach vs. 159–152 for Cruz (figures vary slightly by report, but all give Roach the clear edge).
- Roach also
landed more jabs and more power shots, with one tally giving him a
142–132 edge in power punches and
49% power punch accuracy.
In other words: Cruz had the knockdown and trademark aggression; Roach had the cleaner, more accurate work over the long haul.
That split is exactly what fueled the outrage. Many observers felt Roach had
done enough to win, especially considering this is
his second straight majority draw in a fight he appeared to edge – the first coming in March against Gervonta “Tank” Davis.
“I Don’t Accept This at All”: Roach Explodes After the Decision
Roach’s frustration boiled over the moment the scorecards were read.
“All I want is a
fair shake,” Roach said after the fight. “I think I should have won a close victory. I’m tired of this... I clearly thought I won a close fight. I don’t accept this at all.”
This draw follows his
controversial majority draw with Gervonta Davis, where many believed Roach did enough to take the decision. Unable to land a rematch with Davis, Roach moved up in weight from super featherweight (where he was WBA champion before being stripped when this fight started) to face Cruz at 140 pounds – and again walked away without a win despite a strong performance.
For a fighter who has now gone
0-0-2 in two high-stakes fights he may have edged, the narrative around Roach is shifting from “underdog overachiever” to
“perpetually robbed contender” – at least in the eyes of his supporters.
Cruz Fires Back: “The Referee Took This Fight From Me”
If Roach believed he was robbed, Cruz wasn’t exactly gracious about the draw either.
“I did my job. I did my work,” Cruz said afterward. “The ref was on his side. The judges too. The crowd in San Antonio saw I won this fight…
The one who took the fight away from me was the referee.”
Cruz and his camp pointed directly at the
Round 7 point deduction as the turning point. Without that penalty, Cruz likely would have edged a decision on the cards, thanks to the early knockdown and his late surge in the championship rounds.
Still, the Mexican star – who retained his
WBC interim junior welterweight title with the draw – insisted he wants to do it again: “Absolutely I’d do a rematch. With a different referee who is not on his side.”
For Cruz, who has built his reputation on a fan-friendly style and a spirited 2021 effort in a decision loss against Gervonta Davis, this result keeps his belt but complicates his momentum. Coming in, he had won six of his last seven fights and was positioning himself for bigger names at 140 pounds. Now, he’s stuck with a result that satisfies no one.
How the Fight Fits Into the Bigger Boxing Picture
This matchup was more than just a one-off main event – it was a crossroads fight with real implications at
junior welterweight (140 lbs).
-
Cruz: Still holds the WBC interim belt, which theoretically keeps him in line for a crack at the full WBC title. But a controversial draw instead of a clear win may slow his push for a blockbuster fight at 140.
-
Roach: Entered as WBA super featherweight champion, but was
stripped once the bell rang for this fight because he was moving up in weight. A clean win over Cruz would have instantly established him as a major player at junior welterweight. Instead, he walks away with another “should’ve won” narrative and no belt.
Meanwhile, the undercard was stacked with meaningful bouts too. In the co-main event,
O’Shaquie Foster dominated Stephen Fulton and won a unanimous decision to become
WBC interim lightweight champion, further shaking up the nearby weight classes. It was a night designed to realign multiple divisions – and Roach vs. Cruz was supposed to crown a clear winner at 140. Instead, it added confusion.
Will We Get Roach vs. Cruz 2?
Both fighters said they’d be open to a
rematch. Given:
- The
high-action style of the fight,
- The
controversial scorecards,
- And Roach’s growing storyline of back-to-back disputed draws,
a second meeting is not just logical – it’s marketable.
Promoters now have an easy sell:
“Settle the score” at 140, with the added narrative of Cruz trying to prove the first result wasn’t a gift, and Roach fighting to finally get the official recognition he feels he’s been denied twice this year.
The biggest question is timing. Cruz still has his interim belt and potential mandatory obligations, while Roach must decide whether to fully commit to 140 or entertain options at other weights. But based on how both men reacted – and how fans have responded online – a rematch feels more like an inevitability than a possibility.
What This Means for Fans
If you’re a boxing fan, here’s what to take away from Roach vs. Cruz:
-
Controversy isn’t going anywhere. Close fights plus subjective judging will always fuel outrage, especially when punch stats favor one fighter and the cards go another way.
-
Roach is now must-see TV. Back-to-back disputed draws with Davis and Cruz have turned him into one of boxing’s most compelling “hard-luck” stories – and that often evolves into star power.
-
Cruz remains a dangerous attraction. His style, toughness, and refusal to take a backward step ensure that any Cruz fight – and especially a rematch with Roach – will get attention.
Until they meet again, this majority draw will sit like an asterisk on both their résumés – and a reminder that in boxing, sometimes nobody leaves satisfied, even after a great fight.
Sources
1. Cruz vs Roach HIGHLIGHTS: December 6, 2026
2. Isaac Cruz retains title after majority draw with Lamont Roach
3. Isaac Cruz vs. Lamont Roach results: Interim title fight ends ...
4. Pitbull Cruz vs Lamont Roach fight card results, highlights
5. Pitbull Cruz and Lamont Roach explode over the result of ...
6. Lamont Roach reacts to draw with Isaac Cruz
